This invention relates to disposal of contaminated items, and in particular to a disposal system for use in a hospital or similar environment where contaminated items must be collected and disposed of without creating a hazard for patients or hospital personnel.
In hospitals, clinics and similar institutions, contamination is of utmost concern. Disposable, single use patient-care products, which used to be the exception, are now the norm. Current guidelines of the U.S. Center for Disease Control require immediate disposal of hypodermic needles or other sharps at their site of use immediately following an injection.
Many different types of containers are available for sharps disposal, including many manufactured by Sage Products, Inc., the assignee of this application. Such containers are normally portable and provide somewhat limited protection against an individual's gaining access to sharps within the container. Improper reuse and possible contamination can ensue.